Cost of Living Comparison Between Ratnapura and Polonnaruwa Cost of Living Comparison Between Ratnapura and Polonnaruwa

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $517 per month in Ratnapura vs $519 in Polonnaruwa, rent included.

A couple spends around $833 per month in Ratnapura vs $848 in Polonnaruwa, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,149 per month in Ratnapura vs $1,176 in Polonnaruwa, rent included.

Ratnapura and Polonnaruwa have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

Both Ratnapura and Polonnaruwa are more affordable than the global median – Ratnapura 61% lower, Polonnaruwa 61% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.23 LKR 748

$4.05 LKR 1,360

-44.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$10.02 LKR 3,367

$24.62 LKR 8,273

-59.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.80 LKR 2,285

$8.51 LKR 2,859

-20.09%

Cappuccino

$2.35 LKR 791

$2.73 LKR 917

-13.92%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 LKR 274

$0.69 LKR 233

18.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.52 LKR 174

$0.38 LKR 127

36.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.23 LKR 749

$2.40 LKR 807

-7.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.09 LKR 1,039

$3.27 LKR 1,098

-5.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.04 LKR 686

$1.78 LKR 599

14.61%

White Bread (500g)

$0.81 LKR 271

$0.55 LKR 185

47.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.67 LKR 226

$0.81 LKR 274

-17.28%

Eggs

$1.19 LKR 401

$2.21 LKR 744

-46.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.66 LKR 5,599

$13.95 LKR 4,687

19.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.14 LKR 2,401

$4.59 LKR 1,544

55.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.18 LKR 5,774

$8.24 LKR 2,767

108.50%

Apples (1kg)

$4.66 LKR 1,564

$7.42 LKR 2,493

-37.20%

Banana (1kg)

$0.82 LKR 276

$1.08 LKR 362

-24.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.65 LKR 1,564

$5.91 LKR 1,987

-21.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.08 LKR 363

$1.20 LKR 404

-10.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 LKR 392

$1.10 LKR 369

6.36%

Onion (1kg)

$1.56 LKR 525

$1.41 LKR 475

10.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.56 LKR 189

$1.20 LKR 402

-53.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 LKR 162

$0.61 LKR 204

-21.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.66 LKR 4,927

$9.93 LKR 3,338

47.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.44 LKR 4,181

$12.75 LKR 4,283

-2.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.32 LKR 779

$2.00 LKR 673

16.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.13 LKR 1,053

$2.86 LKR 962

9.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.42 LKR 141

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.38 LKR 129

$0.41 LKR 139

-7.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 LKR 178

$0.32 LKR 109

65.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.32 LKR 106

$0.60 LKR 202

-46.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 LKR 357

$1.21 LKR 408

-12.40%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$21.7K LKR 7.3M

$27.2K LKR 9.1M

-20.38%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$21.4K LKR 7.2M

$34.7K LKR 11.7M

-38.31%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$60.5 LKR 20.3K

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$2.25 LKR 755

$4.43 LKR 1,490

-49.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.23 LKR 2,767

$14.84 LKR 4,987

-44.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$9.99 LKR 3,356

Cinema Ticket

$2.61 LKR 876

$3.28 LKR 1,102

-20.43%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$36.53 LKR 12.3K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$441 LKR 148.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$11.53 LKR 3,874

$27.91 LKR 9,378

-58.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$8.41 LKR 2,825

$19.21 LKR 6,455

-56.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.5 LKR 32.1K

$68.3 LKR 23.0K

39.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$28.66 LKR 9,630

$39.22 LKR 13.2K

-26.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$82.8 LKR 27.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$61.4 LKR 20.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$92.9 LKR 31.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$165 LKR 55.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

16.45

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Ratnapura: July 14, 2026

Last update for Polonnaruwa: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $10.00 in Ratnapura versus $25.00 in Polonnaruwa. Groceries tell a different story – $283 in Ratnapura vs $258 in Polonnaruwa – so Polonnaruwa wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Ratnapura vs Polonnaruwa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

For a comfortable life, plan on about $776 per month in Ratnapura and $779 in Polonnaruwa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Interestingly, groceries are about 10% cheaper in Polonnaruwa – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $10.00 in Ratnapura and $25.00 in Polonnaruwa. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $517 in Ratnapura and $519 in Polonnaruwa, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Ratnapura – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Ratnapura. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Polonnaruwa makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.